Locomotive driving gear



Nov. 25, 1924 1,516,957 M. L. DAVIS, JR

LOCOMOTIVE DRIVING GEAR Filed Dec, 6, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet. l

Nov. 25, l924 1,516,957

M. l.. DAVIS. JR

LOCOMOTIVE DRIVING GEAR Filed Dec. 6, 1922 s sheets-Sheet 2 531100,14 roc Nov. 25, L92 1,516,957

M. L.. DAVIS, JR

i LOCOMOTIVE DRIVING GEAR Filed Dec. G. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ffm@ Patented Nov. 25, 1924.

PATENT OFFICE.

UNITED STATES MATTHEW L. DAVIS, JR., OF OAK GROVE, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF TO MATTHEW L. DAVIS, SR., OF OAK GROVE, ALABAMA.

LOOOMOT'IVE DRIVING GEAR.

Application led December 6, 1922. Serial No. 605,261.

To all whom 'it 71mg/ concern.'

Be it known that I, MATTHEW L. DAVIS, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing in Oak Grove, Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locomotive `Driving Gears, of which' the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to locomotive driving gear of the general character' of that shown in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,180,763, dated April 25, 1916 in which motion is imparted from the piston driven crank to the traction driving wheel through the intermediary of toothed gears. In the gearing described in said Letters Patent no provision was made for any changing of the gear ratio as between the crank driven member and the traction wheel so that the power of the locomotive was measured by the torque elfort required to overcome the inertia of the locomot-ive and the train in starting from a state of rest, although much less power would be required in keeping the train in motion when once 'started Consequently there was a loss of economy in the design of the locomotive. It is the purpose of the present invention to overcome the loss of economy by providing for achange in the gear ratio without, however, requiring disengagement or re-engagement of toothed gears which would be practically inadmissible in railroad practice. In accordance with the invention the intermediate gears, through which motion is imparted from thecrank driven gear to the traction wheel, are mounted on a carrier which can he held from rotation in starting` so as to secure the desired increase of power, and can be released so as to rotate with the crank driven member and the traction gear so'asto provide for direct drive in continuing the movement of the train after it has been started. The invention will be more fully explained hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which it is illustrated and in which- Figure 1 is a view in elevation, partly in section and partly broken away, showing two traction wheels equipped with a convenient and suitable embodimentof the invention.

Figure 2 is a view in section on the plane indicated by the broken line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figures 3 and 4 are views generally similar to Figure 2 but showing slightly different applications o-f the invention.

Referring first to the application of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the traction wheel a, preferably recessed, is provided with a traction driving gear b which is preferably an internal gear. In this instance the traction wheel is fixed on the aXle o, being preferably shrunk thereon, having an extended, sleeve-like hub a which furnishes a bearing for a crank driven member d, having a crank pin al for connection in the usual manner, not necessary to be shown herein, to the piston of the usual cylinder on the corresponding side of the locomotive. In the present instance two traction wheels c are shown. The construction of the two traction wheels and the co-operating parts is identical, the two crank members Z9 being connected as by a connecting rod cl2 shown in broken lines in Figure 1.

The crank member Z is shown as having an extended hub Z3 which is rotatably mounted, through the intermediary of the bushing (Z4, on the hub c of the traction wheel. A nut o and washer c2 are shown as applied to the axle for the purpose of maintaining the parts in proper operative relation.

On the hub (Z3 of the crank driven member (Z is fixed, as by shrinking, a crank driven gear e and mounted loosely on the hub (Z3 of the crank member cl, is a carrier f which supports the intermediate pinions g by which motion is imparted from the crank gear e to the traction gear In the construction shown the intermediate gears g are arranged in intermeshing pairs, the pinions of each pair being in mesh respectively with the crank gear e and the traction gear Z). Provision is made whereby the carrie-r f can be made to rotate with the crank member, in which case the drive from the crank member to the traction wheel is direct, the ratio being 1:1. or can he released from the crank member, in which case the gear ratio as between the crank membernnd the traction wheel is the ratio of gears c and Y). The means for controlling the relation of the carrier to the crank member will now be described.

The cylindrical crank member' Z is embraced by a split band L, the members of which are normally held in driving engagement with the crank member by ordinary spring devices as at 7L. Each band member is also provided with overhanging lugs y7b2 engaged by the toes i of dogs z' which are pivotally hung on the inside ot the overhanging AFlange f ot the carrier The heels 2 of the dogs z' project outwardly through openings` f2 formed therefor in the iiange j". Embracing the flange f is a band /c the ends ot which may be drawn together or separated by suitable ineans.` As shown the two end blocks c and c2 ofthe band le are secured respectively to parallel bars Z and Z2 which are supported for longitudinal movement and carry respectively notched lugs ZJ and Z4 enga-ged by the studs m and in? of a suitable operating lever m.

Zhen the ends of the bandc are drawn together thev band not only engages the flange f ot the carrier f and'holds the carrier from rotation but it presses inward the heels 2 of the dogs z' so that the toes z" disengage the band members it from the crank member (Z. Under this condition the carrier f is stationary and the crank gear e drives y the traction gear Z) through the intermediate pinionsg at a speed which is determined by the gearratio of the gears c and i); When, however, the parts are in the position shown inf Figure l, the carrier 'f rotates with the crank member and therefore with the gear e so that the pinions g can serve merely to connect directly the gears e and Z) and the drive is then direct.

In the embodiment ot the invention illustrated in Figure 3 the traction wheel a3 is not i'ixed on the axle c3 but is mounted loosely thereon, having a long sleeve hub a4 which is fastened to a similar sleeve hub a5 of the opposite wheel on the same axle so that the two tractionwheels shall turn together. In this instance the crank member (Z5 is secured, as by bolts (Z5, to the crank gear e, which is keyed to the axle c5, as indicated at c4. The carrier f3, which supports the transmitting pinions g, as before, is mounted on the hub ot the crank gear 63 and is operatively and releasably connected to the crank member Z5 by a split band ZL which is itself controlled as before, through dogs not shown in Figure 3, by the band 7c as before. The transmitting pinions g supported bythe carrier f3 mesh with the traction gear b3 and with the crank or driving gear c as before. In all respects other than those noted above the construction, arrangement and operation are as Vdescribed with reference to Figure 2. i

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 4L the traction wheel o is mounted. loosely on the axle c, having` a long sleeve hub e7. In this instance .the

axle is provided with inside'eccentrics c3 and the two opposite traction wheels on the same axle are not connected together. In all other respects the construction is the same as that described with reference to Figure 3, the crank member Z5 being secured by bolts (ZG to the crank or driving gear c, which is keyed on the axle c, as indicated at c4 while the intermediate pinions g are supported by the carrier which is engaged with the crank member Z5 by the split band 1756 and has its liange fd' adapted tor co-operation with the band lo. Y

Various other arrangen'ients andV combinationsot parts will readily suggest themselves and' it is to be understood that except as 'pointed out in the claims the invention is not limited Vto any particular construction shown and described herein.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination ot an axle, a traction wheel, a traction gear, a driving member, a driving gea-r, intermediate gearing'between the driving gear and the traction gear, a rotatable carrier for the intermediate gearna Y leasably and operatively with the driving member` v 2. The combination ot an axle, a traction wheel, a traction gear. a driving member, a driving gear, intermediate gearingA between the driving gear and the traction gear, 'a rotatable carrier for the intermediate gearing, means vto connect the carrier releasably and operatively with the driving member, and means to hold the carrier from rotation when it is released from the driving member. f

3. The combination ot an axle, traction wheel fixed on the axle, a traction gear fixed on the traction wheel, a driving member rotatable independently of the traction wheel and gear, ay driving gear fixed to the driving member to rotate therewith, intermediate gearing between the driving gear and the traction gear, a rotatable carrier for the 1ntermediate gearing, and means tor connect the carrier releasably and operatively with the driving member.

4C, 'Ihe combination of an axle, a traction and means to connect thel carrier rewheel fixed on the axle, a traction gear fixed on the traction wheel, a driving member rodiate gearing between the driving gear and the traction gear, a rotatable carrier for the intermediate gearing, means to connect the carrier releasably and operatively With the driving member, and means to hold the carrier from rotation when it is released from the driving memberY 6. The combination of an axle, a traction wheel, a traction gear, a crank member mounted Concentrioally with the traction `wheel and gear, a driving gear fixed to the crank member to rotate therewith, intermediate gearing between the driving gear and the traction gear, a rotatable carrier for the intermediate gearing, and means to connect the carrier releasably and operatively With the driving member.

7. The combination of an axle, a traction wheel, a traction gear, a crank member mounted coneentrieally with the traction wheel and gear, a driving gear fixed to the Crank member to rotate therewith, intermediate gearing bet-Ween the driving gear and the traction gear, a rotatable Carrier for the intermediate gearing, means to oonneet the carrier releasably and operatively with the driving member, and means to hold the carrier from rotation when it is released from the driving member.

8. The Combination of an axle, a traction Wheel, a traction gear, a driving member, a driving gear, intermediate gearing between the driving gear and the traction gear, a rotatable carrier for the intermediate gearing,

a split, spring pressed band embracing the driving member, a dog mounted on the earrier in operative relation with the split band, and means -to aetuate the dog to disengage the band from the carrier.

9. The Combination of an axle, a traction Wheel, a traction gear, a driving member, a driving gear, intermediate gearing between the driving gear and the traction gear, a. rota-table carrier for the intermediate gearing, said carrier having an extended flange, means to connect the carrier operatively with the driving member, and means to eoaot with the flange of the carrier to hold the same from rotation.

l0. The Combination of an axle, a traetion Wheel, a traction gear, a driving member, a driving gear, intermediate gearing betvveen the driving gear and the traction gear, a rotatable carrier for the intermediate gearing, said carrier having an extended flange, a split, spring pressed band embracing the carrier, a dog mounted on the flange of the carrier to aetuate the band to disengage it from the carrier, a band embracing-the lange of the carrier and adapted to eo-aet With the dog to disengage the first named band from the driving member, and means to control the applic-ation of the last named band.

This specification signed this 2nd day of December A. D. 1922.

MATTHEl/V L. DAVIS, Jn. 

